The World's Full of Second Chances
by scarolspectical
Summary: He went back to Hogwarts after the Dark Lord fell, trying to get his life in order while ignoring the whispers and stares. Can Hermione help him through these tough times? Will he let her show the world how he's changed for the better? Not epilogue comp.
1. The Beginning

It felt like it had been a long time since Draco walked through the doors of Hogwarts. He never thought he'd come back to the place after the Dark Lord had fallen. He was surprised when he had received his letter. It had had a sub note attached to it saying that he and the rest of his year could return to Hogwarts to complete their seventh year, as most either didn't attend or didn't complete it fully. He'd also received a Head Boy badge, much to his shock.

He was glad he had listened to his mother and decided to attend. His father didn't have much say in the matter, for he was in Azkaban, not that Draco minded. The boyish idolism he'd given his father in previous years had died along with the darkest wizard of his time.

He had almost faced time in Azkaban too, but because he committed no real crime that could be proven, he was let off the hook. Suddenly, he felt someone run into him, almost knocking him down. He hadn't noticed that he'd been standing in everyone's way.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled quickly. She bent down to retrieve her bag, but Draco snatched it first and handed it to her distractedly. It was then that she looked up.

"Malfoy?" Hermione Granger said, looking thoroughly shocked.

"Granger," he nodded, almost bitterly. He recoiled slightly from her as her face paled. 'Was it that shocking to see him at Hogwarts?' he thought. 'Well, I suppose no one thought I'd wouldn't be sent into incarceration.'

Granger blinked a few times before she looked around, causing Draco to notice the absence of people. "Everyone's in the hall," Granger said quietly, stepping away from him.

"Obviously," Draco snapped. He brushed past the girl and went straight to the Great Hall doors and went inside, he didn't bother keeping the door open for Granger. His thoughts on blood status had changed along with the love of his father, but Granger was different. She was part of the Golden Trio. She was practically family to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Two of the people in the world he disliked maybe as much as his father.

The moment he shut the door in Granger's face everyone looked at him and whispered in shushed tones.

…His father's in Askaban…

…I bet he used dark magic on the Ministry so he wouldn't have to face the Dementors…

…He's such a coward, just like his father…

All the whispers jabbed Malfoy in the back of the head. But he'd grown used to the odd stares and whispers. He had decided at the beginning to not let it bother him, but in the depths of his heart he knew it did hurt him. He had turned away from the Dark Lord the night Dumbledore fell. He shuttered involuntarily at that last thought and then sat down at the Slytherin table next to Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson.

"Draco," Blaise nodded.

"Blaise," Draco replied.

Pansy was strangely quiet for a few minutes before she spoke. "It's nice to see you, Drake." That was so like Pansy. She immediately tested his limits before any real conversation could start.

"You know I hate that name…" Draco hissed. It was a nickname she'd been trying to place on him ever since third year. He detested it. Mostly because that's what his insane Great Aunt Malfilda called him. "Drake, Drake, you silly old snake. You've got no arms, lets throw you in the lake!" she used to sing when ever she came for Christmas, or Yule as she called it.

"I know," giggled Pansy, "but I can't help it!"

Draco bit back a snide remark and held his tongue. No good would come of starting off on the wrong foot with one of the only friends he had left.

Soon the first years came into the great hall. Many of them, he knew, were orphans, judging by their second hand robs and tattered books. He felt a twinge of an unusual emotion in his chest, but he blocked it out like he did the rest. He needed to preserve at least some of the Malfoy family pride he had left.

"Abert, Alabaster!" Professor McGonagall called out. A small boy pushed through the crowd of first years quickly. He sat down on the stool and the sorting hat was placed on his head.

"Ravenclaw!" the Hat called out after a moment. The Ravenclaw table clapped and cheered.

"Aidenson, Isabella!" McGonagall called. A timid girl was pushed forward by a few other first years. She sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head and after another short pause…

"Hufflepuff!" the hat cried.

The next student was a Ravenclaw, followed by a Griffendor, followed by another Griffendor, and finally a Slytherin came by the name of Cole Wilkins. After he sat down another Griffendor was called, then three Ravenclaws, a Hufflepuff who almost tripped and fell in her hurry to sit down, and then, finally, another Slytherin. Draco, and the rest of his table couldn't help but notice how few kids were being sorted into their house. It didn't shock him as much as it did some of the other house members. But it stung a little.

When the sorting was done, and the last child was sorted into Griffendor, there were a total of only seven new Slytherins. Out of almost 50 first years there were only seven sorted into Slytherin. The rest of the houses got at least 12. However, Draco didn't have a lot of time to ponder over this because Professor McGonagall had sat down and feast began. Draco filled his plate with steak and kidney pie and potatoes and started eating along with everyone else. He looked up at the table all the Professors sat at. Professor Slughorn sat to Professor McGonagall's right, who was now the Headmistress. On Slughorn's left was the Professor who taught Arithmancy, although Draco couldn't remember his name. Next to him was a teacher he didn't recognize.

"Blaise, who is that new teacher? The one who's sitting two seats down from Slughorn?" Draco asked nonchalantly.

"That's the new Transfiguration Professor. Professor Flute," Blaise replied, eyeing the new teacher. Draco looked at her for another moment. She was a pretty woman, with long, French braided hair, and cream colored skin.

"She looks too young to be a professor," Pansy added. She must be taking the job just out of University.

"Perhaps," Draco shrugged. He looked further along the row of teachers and then something struck him so completely that he almost fell out of his seat. "What is Granger doing sitting at the Professor's table?!"

"She's been taken on as an assistant teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts," Pansy spat angrily. "Honestly, weren't you listening to Professor McGonagall at all after the sorting?"

"No, I wasn't. But then, who's the teacher?" Draco asked.

Pansy's eyebrows knitted together as she thought. "I can't remember. He has a funny name, like Balmy or something."

"It's Professor Bellamy," Blaise said before taking a bite out of some treacle tart that had just appeared. Draco had become so distracted that he hadn't finished his steak and kidney pie. He loaded a piece of pumpkin pie onto his plate and ate a mouthful. Then he remembered something he'd been wanting to ask.

"So who's head girl?" He asked. Blaise and Pansy looked at him like he'd grown another head.

"You really weren't listening, were you?" Pansy murmured.

Then Blaise spoke up. "Granger is Head Girl. She just decided to take on an assistant teaching position as well. Only Head Girls and Boys can do that. And she chose to. You got the papers for assisting didn't you?"

"Of course, but I didn't think anything of it. I also thought it was one or the other and you had to chose," he hissed.

"Where have you been Draco?" Pansy said, shaking her head. "You don't seem yourself at all. You're oblivious to everything…" She trailed off. He looked down at his half eaten dessert, suddenly not hungry.

"It's okay Pans," Blaise sighed. Then he said in an undertone so that he could barely hear it, "He's had a rough few years. He needs some time to recuperate."

Draco watched as plate of uneaten food disappeared and everyone got up to go to bed. He stood up slowly and turned only when someone tapped on his shoulder. "Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall said. "I shall escort you to your dorm now with Miss Granger." He shot a look at Granger as Professor McGonagall led the way out of the Great Hall. He followed quietly through the students who gave him narrow eyed looks and glances. He walked silently and smoothly, though not quite as fluid as his father had. Professor took them down many corridors and up many stair cases before reaching wall between two suits of armor, and stopping.

"Here is your dorm, your password is 'Quattuor Iunctum'," she looked at the wall as it dissolved into wooden door at the mention of the password.

She opened the door and walked through the threshold, they followed her up a staircase and into an elaborate common room. The room wasn't as big as a House common room, but it was the right size for two people who needed their own space. The room was brightly lit and colored neutrally in whites, grays, and browns. There were two butter soft leather armchairs and a matching couch. Also, there was a rather large fire place, where a fire was crackling merrily, that didn't seem to fit amidst everything else. There were two desks, and next to them, two doors that both had labels that read Head Boy and Head Girl. Draco was quite impressed with the room, actually.

"Along with the Head's responsibilities lie certain privileges as well," Professor McGonagall said, knocking both the students out of their marveling. "You also have access to the schools private floo network. It'll make it easier for you to attend meetings and the like. The floo has access to all the house common rooms, the kitchens, and to all the Professor's offices including mine. It also has access to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, however, that particular floo is only open on weekends, including Friday night. As you are both of age now, I'm sure you know enough not to abuse this privilege. A few times I've had to withdraw that particular access."

"I'm sure we can handle it, Professor," Granger smiled sweetly.

"Well then," Professor McGonagall sighed. "Classes start tomorrow, get some rest, and here are your schedules." She passed Draco and Granger two pieces of parchment. She then walked over to the Floo and disappeared in a burst of green flame.

Granger walked over to an armchair and sunk into it, still looking at her schedule. Draco looked at his too.

Malfoy, Draco: 7

Breakfast 07:20-+-07:451. Advanced Transfiguration 07:45-+-09:15Break 09:15-+-09:252. Advanced Potions 09:25-+-10:55Break 10:55-+-11:053. Advanced D.A.D.A 11:05-+-12:35Lunch 12:35-+-13:304. Free 13:30-+-15:00Break 15:00-+-15:105. Arithmancy: Year Seven 15:10-+-16:40Break 16:40-+-16:506. Advanced Charms 16:50-+-18:20

Dinner 18:20-+-19:15

He was pleased with his course load. It was going to be challenging and ambitious, most seventh years didn't bother taking Advanced anything, but the regular course load was too easy for him. He'd been switching to more difficult levels since he was in second year and still he was behind Granger. He was always second best. This year might be different because not only did she have her classes to concentrate on, she was a teacher's assistant. Meaning she'd have more distraction. She might just slip up this year.

Draco glanced over to the girl in question. She looked up at him warily, but not unkindly. "How do you like your course load?" She asked. Was she trying to be nice?

"It's fine," Draco said in clipped tones. He'd never had any great qualms against the girl. He usually used her to get at Weasley and Potter, and the fact that she was muggleborn made her an excellent target. However, given recent events, he'd changed his outlook on blood status. He looked at the girl with no hatred in his eyes. He was indifferent toward her. He hadn't had anything to do with her in almost a year.

"Well, I think I'll go to bed…" she said trailing off awkwardly. She got up and walked over to the door that said Head Girl and opened it. He caught a glimpse of another stair case leading up to her bedroom. Curious, he went to his dorm room and discovered a staircase as well. He climbed it and came out to a room decorated in green and silver hangings. The ceiling was a great glass dome that he could look through and see the sky, unlike the great hall that was just charmed to look like the sky.

The glass reached half way down the walls and there were curtains that he could draw around the room for privacy. There was also two doors in his new room. One lead out to a balcony that had a chair and a table placed on it. He walked out onto it and was amazed at the view of the grounds. He could see the great lake, and the quidditch pitch and the vastness of the forbidden forest. He also could see a lot of the castle that he never paid any attention too. He looked over at another domed tower and realized that that's where Granger's dorm room would be. She also had a balcony and privacy curtains, which were drawn at the moment. He went back inside his room and ventured to the other door. It was a staircase leading down. 'This place is full of stair cases, now isn't it?' Draco thought to himself. He descended down the staircase and found him self in a room that looked like a small version of the prefects bathroom. Everything was polished white and black marble. There was a five foot wide bath tub with many nozzles and spouts for water and bubbles and a single shower to the side of that. There was a small clothing hamper, and shelves filled with lotions and shampoos and towels and wash clothes. The ceiling was high and also made of marble and there were a few windows but all had privacy blinds.

McGonagall was right, there really were privileges to being Head Boy. Draco yawned and went back into his room and drew the curtains. He had never expected the Head's dorms to be so elaborate. He threw his school robes off and climbed into bed. It was warm and comfortable and soon he was fast asleep.


	2. First Day

Hermione woke up in her elaborate glass dome room feeling calm, cool, refreshed, and excited to start the new year. She pushed her covers back, climbed out of bed and immediately straightened out the hardly disturbed sheets and blankets.

She then turned to her bathroom and brushed out her hair curly mess of hair thoroughly before casting a smooth curl charm, that she had learned in a Witch Weekly magazine, that made all her curls look managed and not so frizzy. Then she brushed her teeth and washed her face. She hardly ever wore any make up, aside from a little mascara that she applied sparingly. When she was finished she stretched and went to her new wardrobe that held all her school robes and clothing. She slipped on a black pleated school skirt and a crisp, white, button up blouse and placed her school robes over it. She tied her tie and then looked at her self in the full length mirror on the door.

Satisfied, she turned and picked up her knapsack and left her room and headed to the common room. She looked around the comfortable room and as soon as she reached the wall where she was supposed to exit she realized that there was no door. Just a blank wall. Just then Draco Malfoy walked through his dorm door.

"Malfoy, could you help me?" Hermione asked stiffly.

"Why?" he asked looking at the wall.

"The door isn't there," she said.

Malfoy pulled out his wand and tapped the wall. The door appeared immediately. "And you call yourself a witch," he sneered, brushing past her and taking his leave before she could retaliate.

'He hasn't changed at all, the Prat!' Hermione thought catching the door before it closed and following Malfoy. 'You'd think the war would have taught him something.' But then she realized that she was a bit quick in asking for help. She'd have to work on that.

She made her way down to breakfast and settled in between Ron and Harry who were shoveling eggs and bacon into their mouths at an alarming rate.

"You'll make yourself sick, eating that quickly," she said, pulling a plate of bagels toward her and spreading some grape jelly on them.

"It hasn't happened yet," Ron said around a mouth full of toast.

She shook her head and sighed. Just then the post came and an owl dropped her the Daily Prophet. She opened it up and rolled her eyes at a sub article that caught her eye.

THE GOLDEN TRIO BACK AT SCHOOL!

Details on page 6.

Hermione sighed and folded the paper and tucked it away. She was starting not to like the Prophet so much.

After she finished her breakfast she decided to Advanced Transfiguration early to read a little bit more in her book before class began. Most of her classes were advanced which delighted her. She loved a challenge of any kind, even though she was a little more wary about said 'challenges' because of the war. She'd never hop to a camping and find your own food challenge. She'd had quite enough of that life.

She entered the class room and was surprised to see that she wasn't the only one who was early. A few Ravenclaws were already in the room chatting with the new teacher, Professor Flute. Hermione sat down at the head of the class and pulled out her parchment and quill and Transfiguration book. Soon everyone filed in, even Draco Malfoy who sat a few seats behind her. And soon, the class began.

"Welcome to Advanced Transfiguration!" the Professor announced energetically, spreading her arms and grinning broadly. Hermione almost expected fireworks to explode in the background. She smirked. "This year we are going to cover everything, from Disguises to Animagi Transformation. You are in this class to perfect your skills in the art of Transfiguration. By the end of this class you'll know not only the basics, but the in depth magic that not everyone goes out of this school knowing." She paused slightly before adding. "And you all will get a chance to find your 'inner animal' and learn to transform into an Animagus state. If you succeed in the transformation, you will be automatically registered into the Ministry and will receive top scores on your N.E.W.T. for this class."

Hermione grinned in excitement, she wondered, almost cockily, what her 'inner animal' would be. She raised her hand, "Professor? When will we be starting that particular bit?"

"Probably straight after the winter holidays," she answered smiling at her enthusiasm. "Right then! Everyone take out your books, skip the introduction, and turn to the first lesson…"

Hermione knew she would enjoy this class. She looked around to see how the other students were taking to it. Everyone seemed pretty eager, even Malfoy, who caught her eye and shot her an annoyed look before turning his attention back to the Professor.

"Now," the professor smiled, "I'd like you all to try the first few spells in the first chapter in your book after the introduction…"

There was a lot of rustling of pages and muttered syllables as the students attempted the spells. Hermione, however, had practiced over the summer and already could do these spells.

"Good work, Miss Granger!" Professor Flute chirped, grinning broadly. "You got it as quickly as Mr. Malfoy did. Perhaps you could both could go about the class room and help the others?"

Both Malfoy and Hermione started walking around the class room and soon most of the class were getting the spells right.

When the class was over she made her way down to the dungeons, for potions. Dreading the cold damp place even with a somewhat decent Professor teaching the class. She didn't like potions, she never had. She guessed it was because of where the class was held, and the fact that the class was dominated by Slytherins. Upon entering the room she felt the temperature change dramatically from cold to pleasantly warm. She'd never been in this classroom before. It was brightly lit by an oddly greenish light and there was a warm fire at the head of the room. What really drew her eye was not the expanded ingredients shelves and cupboards, but the long, shimmering, glass window looking out to the bottom of the great lake.

'How odd,' Hermione thought to herself for the second time that day. She sat in one of the only seats left, which, coincidentally, was near the window.

"Hello to you all!" chortled Professor Slughorn walking into the class. "Today is the beginning of your last year at Hogwarts. So, I want to ship you off into the world with the best knowledge of potions I can give you!"

And so began the lecture. Hermione avidly took notes on what they would cover, what kinds of potions would be made and many other things. Finally, Professor Slughorn said something that caught Hermione's undivided attention.

"Furthermore, as your final project, I will assign you all partners and you must create your own potion. All of them will be judged on usefulness, creativity, and how well it works. More details will be provided when the time comes, but for those who wish to begin brainstorming, I tell you this. No poisons are allowed to be concocted."

The end of the class chimed and Hermione put her things away. It still surprised her that a professor could lecture for a whole class period. But she couldn't help but notice that this year the Professors were really creating great opportunities for the seventh years. As she walked out the door of the classroom she tripped and fell. Someone snickered to her left.

"Oi!" she yelled at the unidentified miscreant who tripped her. She looked around for the idiot and found she couldn't deduct any points because she didn't know what house the retreating third year was from. Angrily, she went to start picking up the books and papers she had dropped, when she realized someone was holding all the school supplies, neatly stacked, out to her.

She started a little when she realized the one who'd helped her was Draco Malfoy. "T-thank you," she stuttered, taken aback by his seemingly kind deed.

Malfoy rolled his eyes at her bemusement and said, curtly, "Are you going to stand there and keep your face frozen like a fish, or are you going to take the damned papers?"

Hermione shook herself out of her shock, snatched her papers and placed them in her bag. What was wrong with her today? She felt rather odd, and wasn't sure if it was Malfoy or the fact that she wasn't as quick as she usually was. She shook her head and decided that during lunch she'd go see the hospital wing and see if Madam Pomfry could help her clear her head. It seemed to be in the clouds. Maybe a focusing draught would help.

She readjusted her knapsack and headed off to Advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts. She carried on to the right classroom and walked in and found that Professor Bellamy was quietly looking through a brief case looking for something.

"Good morning, Professor!" she said brightly.

"Oh, good morning, Miss Granger," the teacher said distractedly, running his hand through his slightly shaggy, butterscotch blond hair. "What are you doing here so early, break is not over for another five minutes!" She took in his gracefully untidy appearance before answering him. He looked to be in is mid twenties. His white shirt was half way tucked into his black trousers. He had a small scar on his right cheek bone, and his tie was loose around his neck.

"I was just going to read a bit before class started. Get a little more prepared before assisting you," she smiled energetically.

"Actually, in this class, you'll just be learning, as you haven't taken it yet," the professor said, looking up. "You've been assigned a Third Year Defence class that you'll be assisting me with."

Disappointed, a little stunned that she hadn't realized that particular fact, and slightly confused, Hermione pulled out her schedule. "Sir, it's not on my schedule…?"

"Because it's during your free period. I hope that isn't a problem," the professor said opening and closing drawers. "You won't have to assist the class every day if you think you'll need that time to study." He looked up. It was then Hermione realized that he had purple eyes. How odd.

"No it won't be a problem," she said, "I'm sure I'll manage." Then she paused. "Professor, what are you looking for, exactly?"

Professor Bellamy looked at her again, his face coloring slightly. "My wand, actually." He ran his hand through his hair again. "Could you help?"

Hermione was shocked, to say the least. A teacher misplacing their wand?

"Of course," she said, "you can use my wand to summon yours." She pulled her own out and handed it to the professor who cringed slightly at the feel of the unfamiliar wand.

"Accio Wand!" he said, and a wand shot up to him from somewhere on the floor. With his wand in his grasp he handed Hermione's back to her. "Thank you."

"Your welcome," she nodded going back to her seat at the front. As soon as she sat down the students started to filter into the classroom in twos and threes. Most of the students, she noticed, were Ravenclaw. But there were a handful of Gryffindors too. Then three Slytherins came in, all of whom Hermione disliked very much. Malfoy was flanked by Theodore Knott and Blaise Zabini who were both looking at the only three available spaces left, which happened to be an empty table behind her and the seat right next to her at her table. Zabini and Knott both sat down at the empty table and a scowling Malfoy sat next to her.

She couldn't help but notice that something in his facial expression was missing. However, she didn't get to ponder over that fact for long because Professor Bellamy cleared his throat, announcing the beginning of class.

"Alright! Class. This year we'll be going over a many different things. Most of the things I will be teaching you will not be in the book. So you will have to rely on your skill for the most part of this year! Not to say that we won't use the book at all, mind you."

Hermione stared at the Professor in shock. Did he say what she thought he said?

"Now, nothing gets accomplished by lecturing all day so, everyone, stand up and help get the desks out of the way. We're going to be practicing a variation of different spells today that might come in handy…"

The lesson went by quickly and not with out incident because a Ravenclaw by the name of David Higgleton got a well aimed jinx in the face, causing him to sprout small arms all over his face. But after that and before she knew it they were being dismissed. She tucked her notes into her knapsack and almost left the classroom when Professor Bellamy called her back in. She turned quickly and bumped into a Ravenclaw that was behind her.

"Sorry," said as she went back into the classroom. "Yes, sir?"

"I just wanted you to know that you didn't have to start in the third year class today," the Professor said. "We're only going to be going over introductions and reviews. Things of no real importance."

Hermione shook her head, "Oh no, Professor. I'd much rather come in during that class. Just to get into the routine of it."

Professor Bellamy smiled at the eager student, "Alright. But bring a book or something, you might get bored."

"Never," Hermione said perkily before nodding to him and excusing herself to Lunch.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Just the plot.

A/N: I hope you like this story so far. I love reviews and they make me want to write more often so support please? Thanks. I'll update as soon as I can.


	3. Doors

Draco entered the dining hall and sat down next to Blaise. "How are your morning classes so far?" His friend asked.

"Fine, yours?" Draco asked, more out of courtesy than anything else.

"Fine," Blaise replied shortly. There was a pause between the two friends. Not uncomfortable pause, but one in which they both realized that they weren't sure how to proceed in the conversation. So both, silently agreed to stay quiet.

"Hi Drakey!" Pansy said loudly in his ear and hugging him from behind. Draco jumped and sloshed a little of his pumpkin juice on the table.

He glared at the shallow, giggly girl.

"Drakey? Seriously?" he heard someone snicker a little way down the table. It was Theo Knott.

Draco rolled his eyes at him and then confronted Pansy. "Stop. Giving. Me. Nicknames," he said pausing between each word so she got the message. Pansy frowned.

"Awwww, but that's what's so fun! I look forward to coming up with something new and exiting every d- ..." Pansy was cut off.

"Pans. He said enough." Blaise didn't even have to raise his voice to make Pansy listen. She just did what she was told, no questions asked. That was mostly the reason why Draco never consented to dating her. He wanted someone to do what they wanted with out being told what to do, and he knew Pansy could never do that. After the many years Draco observed his mother obeying his father with no regard to her own wants he had decided he would never take on a wife like that. Of course, it wasn't all his mother's fault. His father could get violent if he didn't get what he wanted, that was something Draco knew all too well about.

He shook his head, trying to clear some of the foggy memories out of his head. Then he excused himself and headed straight for his dorm, but as luck would have it someone skipped into him and knocked him down. "I am SO sorry!" the girl said breathlessly. He looked at her the same time she looked at him. "Oh…" Hermione Granger said.

"Do you EVER watch where you are going? As clumsy and oblivious as you are at this time I'm surprised you survived the war!" Draco yelled getting up and dusting himself off. He picked up the bag that he'd dropped and stormed away before the Gryffindor could react.

When he made it to the corridor where the door to his dorm was he yelled the password and burst through the door. Then he stopped, and took a deep breath. This is what he was reduced to? Angry outbursts every time something popped into his mind about the past? Or every time that annoying girl bumped into him? He needed to regain his resolve. He used to have it so down pat and practiced. He supposed that he had lost that when Voldemort had broken him and his family. He'd lived in fear and on the edge of death for the better part of a year. There was no use for any kind of resolve with someone prying into your mind on a regular basis.

Draco threw himself onto the leather couch and opened one of the pockets in his bag. He pulled out the signet ring that his father had given him before the downfall of the Dark Lord. His father had believed that he wouldn't survive the war, and so gave the ring to his only heir. Draco had never put it on before, but he slipped it on his left middle finger where is father had always worn it. It was a very handsome ring. It was goblin made. The family emblem, an M with a snake flowing across it, encrusted with emeralds and rubies, in a cast of silver.

Draco remembered being a small boy and admiring the ring. Always hoping that one day he would wear it just like his father. Now Draco hardly thought it was of any value.

"That's a pretty ring," someone said behind him. He looked. It was Granger.

"What's it to you?" he replied blandly. Draco smoothed his facial features into a blank mask, letting his old familiar resolve smooth over his emotions.

The girl shrugged. "I just thought it was nice…" she paused. "I came to apologize. Actually, I came to give you a piece of my mind, but now I really don't see the point in starting a useless argument."

Draco waited for her to say more, but she didn't. She just stood there awkwardly.

"I didn't mean to blow up at you." The words fell out of Draco's mouth, surprising both of them.

Granger blinked a few times before giving him a small smile. "It's okay."

An awkward tension began to build and Draco stood up and went to his room, leaving Granger in his wake. Where did the need to apologize come from? More accurately, where did the need to apologize to Granger come from? Of all people. He threw his bag on his bed and walked toward his bathroom. He needed a long shower to think about things.

He removed his clothing and threw them in the general direction of his hamper. He flicked his wand in the general direction of his shower and the water started to flow. He walked over to the mirror and looked at himself. His eyes were drawn to his forearm where the dark mark was burned away when the Dark Lord had fallen. It had left an ugly red scar in it's place. He pulled his eyes away from his arm and looked at his face. It had been so long since he had taken the time to look in the mirror. His blond hair was disheveled and fell into his eyes. His eyes had dark circles under them and his mouth was drawn into a critical frown. He looked older then his actual age. Somewhere in the darkest years of his life his youth had been drained from him. The boyishness to his face he had hated when he turned seventeen had disappeared and was replaced with a hardness that Draco couldn't place. His eyes traveled down to his well sculpted chest and stomach. Many deep scars blemished the fair skin he gazed at.

He stepped away from the mirror and the stranger he had become. He was once so arrogant. He thought he had knew everything about himself. Now he was sure about nothing accept the fact that remorse controlled his life. He took off his ring and sent it to his bedside table with his wand. Then he walked to the shower and adjusted the temperature of the water to close to freezing and jumped in. He yelled in shock as the cold water raced over his body. He gasped for air and forced himself to remain under the freezing spray. Then, using his wand, slowly adjusted the temperature until it was nearly scalding. He scrubbed himself from head to toe until his skin was raw. It was a mechanical thing. Perhaps, subconsciously, he believed he could wash, not only the scars, but the pain away.

When Draco was satisfied he turned off the water and wrapped a towel around himself. The bathroom was completely filled with steam, as he walked toward the door. He swirled his wand a few times and the steam disappeared. He then flicked the wand one more time and everything in the bathroom was dried and returned to its original state.

He stepped into his room, dressed quickly. He pulled on a white button up shirt, a pair of gray slacks, and put his robes over it. He didn't bother tucking in his shirt or tightening his tie too much, his liking for a more casual appearance was one thing he had kept from his younger years at the school.

He looked at the table beside his bed before he left the room. He picked up the signet ring and his bag and left his room.

As he slipped on the ring he wasn't surprised to see Granger had gone. He went to the wall where the invisible door was and tapped it with his wand. He paused only a moment, remembering that Granger had asked him for help so quickly, with out even trying to figure it out herself. Ridiculous. 'Potter and Weasley probably did everything for the girl on their many adventures.' Draco thought to himself. 'She's gotten spoiled, much like I was.'

He turned the doorknob and exited into the corridor. He used his wand and twitched it a little and a voice sounded, telling him what time it was. He loved this spell because he was the one that invented it. The wand said it was 2:05pm. That was just enough time to get to Advanced Arithmancy without being late.

Draco walked down the hallway and through a few passages to get to the classroom as quickly as possible. He arrived at the same time the Professor did. The female Professor smiled kindly to him and it was only then that he realized that the male teacher he had first seen sitting at the Professor's table on the first night was not who Draco thought he was. How could he have forgotten who Professor Vector was? Had it been THAT long since he had been at Hogwarts? But then who was the male teacher he'd seen sitting at the table?

"Hello class and welcome to Advanced Arithmancy: Year Seven! I am Professor Vector, in case you'd forgotten."

"I didn't forget, Professor!" someone said at the back of the classroom, while closing the door. Draco turned and saw Granger. Surprise, surprise. "Sorry I'm late, I was helping Professor Bellamy with his class. Someone managed to jinx themselves and… well, it was a mess…"

"That's okay, Miss. Granger. Have a seat," said Professor Vector smiling broadly as her favorite pupil sat as close to the front as possible. She landed in a seat diagonal to his table.

After the interruption Professor Vector started to prattle on about some of what they'd be learning, he couldn't help but notice how avidly Granger took notes. Biting the tip of her quill in her brief pauses. Crossing and uncrossing her legs. Shifting her papers restlessly. It was ridiculous.

Draco shook his mind out of observation and let his mind wander during the rest of the class. When it was time for them to leave Draco was the first student out the door.

'Alright,' He thought to himself. 'Only one more class to deal with!'

He took a short cut down an empty passage and, oddly, he heard someone's heels clicking behind him. He looked behind him at his follower and saw Granger. "Better be a little more stealthy if you're going to follow me Granger," Draco said. Not many people know about this short cut. He doubted Granger had known about it before.

"I'm not trying to be sneaky or anything. I'm following you because I have to give you the schedule plans for our head duties. I wrote up a pretty good plan, I think," she paused, with a small smile. Was she being friendly? Draco threw up his resolve.

"I'm sure it's fine. You don't need my approval, just pass it in," he said with no emotion. And continued walking at a brisk place toward his destination.

"The Head Boys and Girls are supposed to collaborate!" Granger called after him. Her legs were a lot shorter than his so it was hard for her to keep up. Draco took no action to slow down.

"It's fine," Draco said coldly, and he entered the classroom and shut the door in Granger's face for the last time.


	4. Getting Through

Anger flashed through Hermione as soon as the door was shut in her face. She opened the door quickly, took two strides in, grabbed Malfoy's arm and haulled him back into the corridor. It caused a small scene, but nothing especially memorable.

"What's your issue, Malfoy?" she fumed. "Why are you being such a complete arse for no reason! I don't deserve it. I've been nothing but respectful towards you and all you've done is act like I'm a piece of scenery! Something below the courtesy of acknowledgment on a basic level. Seriously, if we're going to work together as head boy and girl you have to stop being so ruddy cold and start giving a shit about this school and your position! We aren't children anymore." Hermione paused for a minute before adding, "And if you slam the door in my face one more time I'll blast it off the hinges and leave the mess for YOU to clean up."

Malfoy looked slightly taken aback, and cocked his eyebrow slighly at the last remark. He sighed before holding out his hand and looking tired. She glanced at it for a moment and then placed the slightly wrinkled schedule. He looked over it carefully for a minute. His expression blank. He handed the schedule back to her and murmured, "Don't put Hanson and Lepski together. They despise one another and rather would rip each other's hearts out than work together. They'd get nothing done. Put Lepski with Drider and Hanson with Drider's present partner and the hassle will be avoided. The rest is fine."

With that Malfoy turned on his heel and entered the classroom. Hermione followed, slighly bemused. They sat on opposite sides of the classroom in the same row. Not looking at each other for the rest of the class. The class seemed rather short after that.

Charms seemed short too. Professor Flitwick seemed particularly egar this year, jumping right into discussing the complex spells they would be working on in the near future. One of the spells that captured Hermione's interest immediately a charm that gave objects artificial intelligence, making them able to follow directions and communicate on a basic level. She'd always wanted to experiement with such a spell, but many wizards and witches had done such and ended up being injured or killed by their objects. It took a lot of consentration and control to do such a charm. Hermione was up for the challenge. She looked over at Malfoy and it seemed that particular lesson had piqued his interest to the slightest degree. A little excitement flared through her at the thought of competition. There was no doubt in her mind that Malfoy had the potential to out shine her if she only settled for her definition of satisfactory. She began scribbling out a rough idea for a study schedule. Nothing concrete. She wanted to be prepared for the start of an intellectual battle, should it arise.

The class ended as soon as she finished the schedule out line and the last sentence in her notes. She walked briskly out the door and stepped around a figure that paused right outside the door. She kept walking but looked back at the figure. Malfoy was standing there with a small smirk on his face. Barely noticable, but still there. She turned back and kept walking, wondering vaguely what that look was about.

She dropped her things off on a chair in the common room and then left for dinner. She met up with Harry and Ron on the staircase and started talking excitedly about her day and the new schedules. Just idle chit chat. Harry and Ron had had a good first day too. Ron and Harry had both successfully preformed all the spells in the first chapter of their D.A.D.A class, and were ahead of the rest of the class by a half a chapter. "I guess Dumbledore's Army taught us more than I thought," Harry said with a grin.

They sat down in the Great Hall with the rest of Griffendor house. Everyone was eating and talking about their first day. Hermione was enjoying everyone's company and so was completely oblivious to the blond haired man glancing at her now and again with a contemplative stare.

After eating her fill and taking a last gulp of pumpkin juice, Hermione stood from her table and walked with her friends out to the hall and up the stair case. They decided to walk around the corridors for a while and eventually settled into one of the many nooks there were in the castle.

"So, how's living with the Slytherin Prince?" Ron nudged Hermione with his elbow with a smirk. "Is he still the prat that we all came to know and love?"

"Not really," she said thoughtfully. "He's changed a lot. He seems very introverted now. We haven't been arguing or anything at all. He's sort of passive. Grown up."

Harry sighed. "It wouldn't surprise me. He was under Voldemort's contol for the better part of the last year or two. That's bound to change someone."

The three sat in silence then, pondering over their former enemy. "The last thing I want to do is pity him," Hermione said, breaking the silence. "It isn't like we didn't have our share of suffering. Destroying horcruxes and fighting in the war. We've all grown up. Faster than we probably should have."

Both Harry and Ron nodded. Ron pulled his watch out to check the time and stood up. "It's about time for curfew."

"Yeah, I'd better be going anyhow. I have to deliver the prefect duty schedule to each of the houses," Hermione said standing. He hugged both her friends and they parted ways. She drifted towards the Head's common room. Thinking about the war and the scars they'd left on everyone who had participated. It changed people. Their smiles, their maturity, their laughs, their expressions, their personalities. Everyone seemed older. The change wasn't unexpected, but it was a little sad.

She made it to the common room, still pondering. She walked through the door. She saw Malfoy casually sitting in the common room, reading. He wore a pair of thin, square, gold reading glasses that she'd never seen before. He didn't acknowledge her enterence; too eveloped in what he was reading to care. Hermione walked quietly over to where she had left her school bag and moved to her desk where she began organizing her notes and making a better outline of her study plan. She hadn't been assigned any homework that she hadn't already completed so there wasn't much else for her to do besides.

After about an hour and completely satisfied with her study plans for the year, she pulled out a book from her bag and sat in the arm chair next to Malfoy. She looked at him for a little bit, pausing before opening her book. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his eyes were unfocused. Like he was thinking about something else, rather than reading. Then suddenly he seemed to snapped out of it and looked at her.

"What?" he said blankly.

"Sorry, nothing," Hermione said looking away, slightly embarrassed and hurried onto say, "I just noticed you were wearing glasses. I've never seen them before."

To that, Malfoy said nothing, and went back to reading. She started reading too. Curling her legs into the chair and losing herself in the book.

After an hour or so of comfortable silence Malfoy stood up and stretched. He removed his glasses and stuck them in his shirt pocket and strolled over to the door of his room. Hermione decided it was about time she went to bed too. She stood and walked over to her desk and picked up her bag.

"Good night," she heard, and looked up just in time to see Malfoy disappear behind the door.

"Good night!" she called after a moment. Unsure if he heard her or not. He wasn't being very cold to her anymore. Distant, but not cold. Maybe what she had said had gotten through to him.

With a satisfied nod to herself she went up to her room. She hadn't drawn her curtain yet and stopped to admire the view her tower supplied for her. She looked acrossed and saw Malfoy's tower. The curtain was only drawn part of the way. She saw him standing on the balcony, so the curtain didn't do much good. He was leaning against the wall looking out over the grounds. He was only wearing a pair of pants, no shirt. She couldn't help but notice that he was handsom, standing there in the moonlight. The wind brushed through his hair slightly, and he turned around to go back inside. He glanced over to her tower, so she closed her curtain quickly.

She shouldn't be thinking about Malfoy that way. He'd never see anything in her like that, so it wouldn't do any good to form a crush. Maybe an admiration, because he was intelligent and confident and handsome. But a crush would only result in distraction and disappointment. Neither of which Hermione was fond of.

She thought of Ron then. They had attempted to be in a relationship. But the strain of the loss of Ron's older brother had broken their relationship apart. It hadn't felt right anymore. Even after the immediate sting from the loss was gone, they clouldn't find the romance and the mutual attraction they once had. They both decided it was better off as friends. Since then Hermione hadn't really thought of anyone romantically. She knew that Seamus Finnigan had had a crush on her since sixth year. He was a very handsome man and was very kind, but she really didn't think of him that way. During one of the holidays he had kissed her on the cheek under the mistletoe, and something could have started there, if she were so inclined. But no, she really wasn't interested. There was no challenge in him. It would be effortless. A safe and boring choice. Hermione wanted more than that.

Malfoy was certainly a challenge, at best, but it wouldn't go anywhere. It wouldn't do any good to peruse someone who seemed to have no interest in the human race.

Pondering over all of this, she got undressed and put on a thin purple night gown. She braided her hair, brushed her teeth, rubbed a softening and moistening cream into her legs and arms that she had bought at a muggle store. And she crawled into her warm feather bed. She lay there for a while, counting as many stars as she could and finding certain, familiar constellations. She watched the sky until she fell into a dreamless slumber.

A/N: I know it's a short chapter, but I figured it would be better than nothing. The story continues.


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